diymy Chapter 137 The Calamity of Witchcraft
Chapter 137 The Calamity of Witchcraft
Chapter 137 The Perils of Witchcraft (Part 3)
"presumptuous!"
Zhao Kuangyin slammed his hand on the imperial desk, his face instantly darkening, his tone chillingly cold: "Utter nonsense! Foolish talk!"
How can the ramblings of a pedantic scholar who has lost his mind be believed!
The black dragon is a symbol of emperors, but also an ominous sign.
Zhang Quhua's words, seemingly ravings of madness, were actually a veiled reference to Zhao Dezhao's ominous signs and rebellious intentions. If spread, they would not only ruin Zhao Dezhao's reputation but also shake the foundations of the court and cause turmoil in the country.
How could Zhao Kuangyin not be furious?
"I certainly don't believe it!"
Wang Renzhan quickly bowed and explained, "I know this matter is absurd, so I immediately used some methods to try to get Zhang Quhua to talk and find out if someone was behind it."
"But this person was very stubborn and insisted that he had suffered a serious illness in his early years. After recovering, he gained a strange ability to see many things that ordinary people cannot see. The black dragon he saw in the Chuigong Hall that day was definitely not a lie."
"Your Majesty, I dare not be negligent, for fear of missing even the slightest clue. That is why I hastily reported this to Your Majesty and request Your Majesty's decision."
Upon hearing this, Zhao Kuangyin's expression darkened even further.
He naturally didn't believe Zhang Quhua's nonsense.
What frustrates him is that the mastermind behind Zhang Quhua's case has yet to be identified, which truly unsettles him.
We must find out who's behind this as soon as possible!
Just as he was about to speak after a moment of contemplation, a palace attendant hurriedly entered the hall, bowed, and knelt to report: "Your Majesty, Song Qi, the prefectural judge of Kaifeng, is requesting an audience, saying that he has important matters to report in secret."
"What is it?" Zhao Kuangyin frowned slightly.
"Your Majesty, Magistrate Song only said that the matter was of great importance and might be related to the Prince of Wugong. As for the rest, he said that it needed to be reported to Your Majesty in person."
Is it related to Zhao'er?
Upon hearing this, Zhao Kuangyin frowned sharply and immediately said, "Summon him! Let him in immediately!"
"Here you go!"
The eunuch withdrew upon hearing this, and shortly afterward, Song Qi hurriedly arrived, holding a scroll in his hands. He bowed and knelt in the hall, his expression solemn: "Your subject Song Qi greets Your Majesty! May Your Majesty be well!"
"No need for formalities, rise and speak." Zhao Kuangyin's tone was tinged with annoyance: "What do you have to report? Speak quickly!"
Seeing the Emperor's displeasure, Song Qi's heart skipped a beat, but with the die already cast, he had no choice but to present the case file: "Your Majesty, this morning, a night watchman went to Kaifeng Prefecture to beat the drum and appeal for justice—"
Song Qi didn't dare to hide anything and immediately told the whole story about the night watchman.
Upon hearing this, Zhao Kuangyin's face darkened completely.
How could things happen by such a coincidence?
The Zhang Quhua case had barely been filed when Kaifeng Prefecture received this case. He certainly wouldn't believe there wasn't something fishy going on!
"That's utter nonsense!"
Zhao Kuangyin couldn't help but sternly rebuke, "Zhao'er is my eldest son, of upright character. How could he engage in such witchcraft and curses?"
The tales of gods and ghosts are inherently false. How could you, as the prefectural judge of Kaifeng, believe the one-sided account of a night watchman?!
When the emperor flew into a rage, Wang Renzhan and Song Qi were so frightened that they both knelt on the ground, not daring to breathe, and repeatedly said, "Your Majesty, please calm down! Your Majesty, please calm down!"
Zhao Kuangyin took a deep breath, suppressing his anger, and frowned, asking, "Where is the Marquis of Taiyuan? Is he still unwell?"
He knew that Zhao Guangyi was claiming illness and not attending court, and he had even visited Zhao Guangyi's residence a few days ago.
"Your Majesty, the Marquis of Taiyuan is still ill in bed," Song Qi replied honestly.
Upon hearing this, Zhao Kuangyin frowned even more deeply. He pondered for a moment, then looked at Wang Renzhan with a heavy gaze: "Wang Renzhan, move that night watchman to the Military Virtue Department as well. I'm giving you seven days to investigate this matter thoroughly and find out who is behind this charade!"
"I obey your decree!"
Wang Renzhan felt a chill run down his spine and quickly replied.
"Step down and go investigate immediately!"
"Here you go!"
Wang Renzhan and Song Qi hurriedly knelt down to express their gratitude, then got up, took the files, and quickly left.
Inside the Chuigong Hall, deathly silence returned once more. Zhao Kuangyin sat on the dragon throne, his face terrifyingly gloomy.
My anger just now was half genuine, but the other half was just for show for the two of them.
He truly did not believe in gods or ghosts.
What made him suspicious was who was the mastermind behind all this, and how could they be so audacious!
If it were those powerful families and nobles in the court who resisted the new imperial examination policy, they certainly wouldn't dare to be so ruthless. This witchcraft is clearly meant to kill Zhao Dezhao!
"Who exactly is this person?!"
A series of questions swirled in Zhao Kuangyin's mind, making his heart grow heavier and the cloud of doubt between his brows thicker.
"Your Majesty, you would never guess that I'm the one behind all this—"
Inside the study of the Marquis of Taiyuan's residence, Zhao Guangyi smiled wryly and shook his head.
Shi Zaixi stood bowing to one side, his expression showing some worry: "Your Majesty, according to news that just came from the palace, His Majesty was extremely angry after learning about this matter and ordered a thorough investigation."
"His Majesty's attitude clearly shows that he still trusts Prince Wugong very much and has not developed any suspicion towards him because of these two incidents. Isn't our plan—too hasty and unlikely to be effective?"
Upon hearing this, Zhao Guangyi slowly raised his eyes, a meaningful smile playing on his lips, and shook his head, saying, "What's the rush? This is nothing."
"Zhao Dezhao is the Emperor's own son, and the heir apparent he has chosen. If there were no solid evidence, why would the Emperor so easily doubt him?"
He picked up the teacup on the table, took a small sip, and a cold glint flashed in his eyes: "But some things, perhaps once..."
"If you don't believe it, what if you believe it twice? Three times? What if tens of thousands of people believe it?"
"You should know that three men can make a tiger. Even if Your Majesty does not believe in ghosts and gods, if everyone in the world believes in them, then whether Your Majesty believes or not will no longer be able to decide."
He smiled slowly: "So, why be impatient? The best is yet to come."
Upon hearing this, Shi Zaixi suppressed his concerns and bowed, saying, "Your Majesty's insight is profound; I was too hasty."
Zhao Guangyi put down his teacup and looked at Shi Zaixi with a deep gaze: "Where is Patriarch Chen Tuan? Has there been any news from Cheng Dexuan's side?"
"Your Majesty, Cheng Dexuan has sent a secret message saying that Ancestor Chen Tuan is already on his way to the capital and will arrive in Kaifeng in about three days," Shi Zaixi replied hastily.
"Great! You've come at the perfect time!"
A glint of shrewdness flashed in Zhao Guangyi's eyes, and his tone carried a barely perceptible excitement: "In that case, I can begin my second move!"
"Immediately arrange for a rumor to be spread throughout Kaifeng that Prince Zhao Dezhao of Wugong is possessed by a demon, carries the ominous sign of a black dragon, and is using witchcraft to curse the emperor and disrupt the court!"
"Remember! Make sure this rumor spreads throughout Kaifeng, that everyone believes it without a doubt! Let it escalate!"
"Your subject understands," Shi Zaixi said, bowing.
"Go, and remember to be discreet and leave no trace. Don't let anyone find out about us."
Zhao Guangyi, still feeling uneasy, added another word of advice.